The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1887-11-03
1sABEL's BUSY DAY.
How Billy Baked and Ben Found
aHnsband

NlALN "a 4AAlA III AAAa FAANeANa $1,000
ais that were gotten up to help build
the new hospital-for the dignifed
teacher in the Middle Grade Of the
Thirdly Grammar School She wore
Aunt RhOda's Shaker bonnet with q
brown ribbon tied under her chin, a
tiny checked shawl crossed on her
breast, and a dark red calico gown,
buttoned with sober little eirclets Of
mother-of-pearl, and she was seated In
q mud-splashed country wagon. driv-
ing, probably, the oldest horse in the
county, with an assortment Of gray
stone jars and wicker-lidded baskets.
packed in wilted grass. behind her.
For Aunt Rhoda had sprained her
wrist, and Bell Barlow had volunteered
~ drive 70 BannPort and carry the
weekly assortment Of farm produce 20
the good old lady's customers who
dwelt therein
"It'll be q dreadful accommodation
IN me-" said Aunt Rhoda; because the
s9ring chickens won't bring brOilel
prices after this week. and the egg
won't never be no fresher; and III,
June buffers packed to the very top OF
the crock. and the FAlkners use pow
erful sight o. butter. And Old Billy.
be won't run away nor nothin', and it,
Jest a pleasant days work for a sprl
gal like you. Miss Barlow"
So Isabel Barlow set forth on thisun-
accustomed task, remembering thai
she alsn desired to match n skein Of
olive green silk. purchase n few Postag'
stamps. and buy some chlorate Of pot
ash lOzenCcs against next Sunday
sulo in the choir.
And here's the handbook" saii
the old lady. bu-tling out after Bel
was safely enihrined on the buffalo
r,,bc-cnvrrpd seat 81 couldn't give IL
a. you Hfnre. because / don't want
Ephraim To know I've got money on
al interest. He'd want 10 squander j,
all in swappin' OK teams and buyin
lottery tirkets There's twenty dol
lars that Mrs Trims paid me for the
Old red COW. EIhrsim don't even
know she's sold. He reckOns she's
out to pasture somewhere. And the
ten dollars got for blackberries and
elder-berries. and what you'll gather
together to-day, Miss Bell-and II
you'll bank II, I'll be ever so much
obliged. 'Taint ont Of your way. or
wouldn't make 80 bold"
Il was a long. sultry, summers day.
The customers were hard 70 find and
difficult TO suit, and the city boarder
finally concluded that dealings in
garden sass and truck" were not al
together productive Of bliss. But it
came 10 an end at last and Bell
glanced up at the square steeple Of the
old Town Hall, where a glittering
brass face contained the record Of tn"
hours. that were marked of BY pair
Of monster black hands.
Too late for banking hours" she
said 10 herself 'If that old Mrs.
Falkner, who keeps the Mechanics
Boarding House, hadn't detained me
so long In making change. Well,
never mind. shall have to take the
money ali home again to Mrs. Jen-
kins."
Better put them bills in some safe
place." shrilly counseled Mrs. Falkner.
who. being deaf herself, generally adj
dressed other people at the top Of her
voice. ''It's long ride home through
the Black Swamp for a lone woman.
like you. with all that money"
A man smoking pipe on the steps
turned to stare at the city boarder Al
these words. Two half-grown lad,
paused in their discussion Of the base
ball question and listened. Bell
Barlow felt the color rise uneasily n
her cheek.
alt is all right, she said. putting tn
old leather handbook. with It's fat in-
closure Of bills and small coin, into the
pocket Of the madder-red calico gown.
and securing the Oriiee with deity
inserted pin. And she drove away a
fast as she could. uttering within her
self the exuitant sentence wherewith
this chronicle commences.
But Old Billy wis tired and sti6 and
Bell found the sunset failing Int
twilight while she was yet within tn
funereal shade Of the Black Swamp. q
dismal stretch Of woods through which
a road had been built, where two teams
could barely pass. Night birds called
shrilly to each other; the wind rustled
muurnfully through the beeches and
pines. and old Billy seemed ts 60
slower and moro slowly with even
mument
Il hope he isn't going to fall dead
lame" thought Bell. with = slight
Shudder. Are those really footsteps
behind me. or is It my imagination"
She glanced around A man va
/ e. us .... has "a. t.t
darby outlined against the red bar 81
sunset that seemed to Close mp the
perspective at the other end Of The
swampy riad-coming At a brisk run
She remembered the man with the
PIPE; the two hslf-gruwn lads who bad
stripped to listen to Mrs Falkner's
bigh-pitehed words; she thought Of the
solitary spot, and Of the money In her
pocket, and whipped up Old Billy. with
what energy she possessed But 10 no
avail That venerable steed stopped
short, brGcing his four legs in iVuI
different directions and hanging bis
head down in a most discOuraging
fashion.
Bell had heard different members o.
the jenkins family allude 70 q char
aeteristic possessed by Old Billy at in
convenient times and seasons. but, ~
to this time, she never had known whai
''balking" meant
sHe won't stir q step-the Wretchet
beastr' she gasped. "Well, II be don {
Imust won't stay here 10 be robbed
and murderedr'
She sprang lightly out Of thu wagon
and with scarsdselance behind her n
the pursuing fgure. which was Ger
tainly gaining on her. fairly tookrtC
her heela The sound Of q sheul
reached her ears, bat IL had only he
effect Of sccelerating her footsteps, 70
Stop, indeedr' she thought "A
81 had any idss Of stoppingI''
Ben Barlow had not played number
iass gamss 81 tennis and tournament'
of crs-qust for nothing. Swift and lighl
- Aflsnea. she fsd along. rcarcsll
Tagriu8 % look behind her. until. in
re deg and purple dusk. she bounded